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November 27, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is young adult author, Eric Price. Welcome
to Strands of Thought! Can you tell us a little about you, please?

I grew up in central Illinois, but I now live in northwest
Iowa with my wife and two sons. I began publishing in 2008 when I started
writing a quarterly column for a local newspaper. My first short story, “Ghost
Bed and Ghoul Breakfast,” a spooky children’s tale about a haunted bed and
breakfast, came out later the same year. I’ve published more than 30 nonfiction
articles/columns, four short stories, and a poem. Three of the short stories have
won honorable mention in the CrossTIME Annual Science Fiction contest.

Congratulations on the release of your book, Eric, tell
us about Unveiling the Wizards’ Shroud.

As the only son to King Kendrick, Owen
despises the idea of being king one day. Magician may be the only career he’d
like less. He has dreaded the days leading up to his fifteenth birthday, when
his father will certainly declare Owen heir to the throne. But at the birthday
celebration, his father falls ill. The only person in the kingdom that may be
able to save him is a magician–the very same magician Owen holds responsible
for the death of his mother.

Owen and his companions will have to travel the continent of
Wittatun in search of the cure for King Kendrick. On the journey, they will battle strange
beasts and harsh climates, befriend extraordinary magicians, and meet a dragon
before returning to Innes Castle–where much has happened in the days since he
departed.

I recommend my book to lovers of fantasy. It has enough
twists and turns to satisfy a hardcore fan, and it’s short and fast paced to
appeal to fantasy novices or even people at lower reading levels than young
adult.

Readers, Eric wants to know your top 3 favorite fantasy
novels?

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help
us know you a little better.

Top
3 books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.

I intended to list three classic
novels here, but I do that all the time, and I read Suzanne de Montigny’s post earlier this month, so I decided to plug some
authors at my publisher:

Kai, I intended to add Beware of the White here, but I figure most of
your blog readers have probably read it, so I’m going to deviate from my
publisher to a book I grabbed at the bookstore, and had to put everything else
I was reading on hold so I could read it.

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher—I’m not even sure I understand how much I loved this book.
I think it would appeal to either a fan of Shakespeare or Star Wars, as a fan
of both, my copy will be tattered and dog-eared by the end of the year.

Top
3 tools of the trade you couldn’t live without.

Spell check—I’m a horrible speller.
I’m getting better, but I still need spell check a lot.

Dictionary—Sometimes spell check
doesn’t work, or it can’t figure out what I’m trying to type. Plus, as a writer
you learn some words don’t mean what you think they mean. (oh my gosh, this
happens to me all the time!)

Thesaurus—Stephen King wrote in On
Writing, you’ll never find the right word in the thesaurus (or something to
this extent). The point he made was use the words you know, don’t look up new
words just trying to make yourself sound smart. I agree with him 100%. I still
need my thesaurus because sometimes the word I need just won’t come to me. I
still avoid the words I don’t know—unless they’re really cool; how else is our
vocabulary supposed to grow?

I could write on this topic for
hours. I could write about my 3 favorite categories of super heroes and break
that list into subcategories, but I’ll keep it simple… as best I can. I’ll even
limit myself by sticking to Marvel, and further limit it by sticking to the
X-Men. (It should be noted, my time with the X-Men was 1992 to 1996. I’m rather
clueless as to what’s happened after that.)

Wolverine—He has attitude, an
adamantium skeleton with retractable claws (when Magneto hasn’t ripped it
out—I’ll get to him later), and a mutant healing factor that makes him nearly immortal.

Magneto—He’s a classic sympathetic
villain. He grew up a Jew in the 1940s. His family was torn apart by people who
hated those different than them. Now as an adult, he sees a similar hatred by
homo sapiens toward homo superiors (mutants). His friend, Charles Xavier,
leader of the X-Men, dreams of a world where homo sapiens can live in peace
with homo superiors, but due to his experience in concentration camps, Magneto
cannot share that dream. Plus, he can control magnetism, and he uses it to remove
Wolverine’s metal skeleton (see above, see also X-Men #25 and Wolverine #75).

Apocalypse—He’s the baddest of the
bad (King of Bad… if you will). The first mutant, born in Egypt around 3000 BC
(BCE if you prefer) he eventually takes over the world around 3800 AD (or CE),
and at various times throughout alternate timelines… so he’s nothing if not
patient and persistent.

One of those alternate timelines
is, in my opinion, the best storylines in comic book history: The Age of
Apocalypse. Legion travels time to kill Magneto, but accidentally murders
Charles Xavier in the 1960s. Xavier never forms the X-Men so Magneto forms them
in Xavier’s vision. But when Apocalypse rises in the 1980s, Magneto’s team
doesn’t defeat him as Xavier’s team did, so Apocalypse takes over the world. An
amazing dystopian world is created where, amongst other cool things, Wolverine
and Cyclops finally have it out, resulting in Wolverine losing a hand and
Cyclops losing an eye.

As Apocalypse is a firm believer in
survival of the fittest, it’s hard to classify him as evil per se, he just
tries to wipe out those who are week and those who promote the survival of the
week… OK, so he’s evil, but he will team up with the good guys if they are
fighting someone even more evil than him (see X-Cutioner’s Song).

Lol. I love that you love comics. And thanks for the nod
for Beware of the White. There are so many talented authors at MuseItUp, it
makes me feel really good about having a book there.

GUESTS WELCOME! I
am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author,
illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something
related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel
free to contact me about a future appearance.

November 20, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is my fellow MuseItUp author, James
Crofoot. Welcome to Strands of Thought, James! Can you tell us a little about
you, please?

Hello, my name is James J Crofoot and I love writing. Always
have, and having people enjoy my stories is my bonus. For relaxation and to
keep balanced, I practice Tia Chi, Chi Kung, other energy strengthening
exercises. In addition, of course, those early morning walks where the muses
inspire me.

Congratulations on the release of your book! Tell us more
about it.

My first book, "The Journeys of a Different
Necromancer", is really a collection of short stories, which follow a
young mage on his travels. The main character, Thomas, starts out wanting to
learn to read and write. In the process, he gets more than he bargained for. He
desperately wants to get away from his very small village. He wants to see the
capital of the kingdom and then the world from there. In his travelling,
although he uses his knowledge for good, he begins to wonder if what he does
should be done.

Okay James, now for the Threes. Share with us your top 3
answers to the following questions to help us know you a little better.

·The top three books you recommend for readers.

1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – This book opened my mind
to high fantasy. I told me of a world beyond the mundane.

2. "A Mid-summer Night's Dream" by Shakespeare –
This one because it tells a tale of the Lords of the wood, it tells of love and
how even those lords of the wood laugh and love.

3. Fairy Tales! – Not the sanitized stories of today, but
the older the better. Hans Christian Anderson, and The Brothers Grimm. Learn
how stories were once passed from generation to generation.

·Three pieces of advice for kids these days?

1. Stay in school. Learn all they have to teach.

2. See the world. Climb a mountain. Sail on a sea. Go not as
someone on vacation, but as someone who may not return.

3. And most importantly – Live and love with all of your
heart.

·Three favorite phrases –

1. Rage against the dying of the light…

2. Seize the day

3. "To be or not to be…"

Readers, now it is your turn! James want to know your
responses to these three questions:

Thank you for
charming us on this week’s Three Times A Charm! Best of luck to you and your
writing, James.

GUESTS WELCOME! I
am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author,
illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something
related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel
free to contact me about a future appearance

November 15, 2013

Welcome to my blog feature, Building
Character in which you get to meet a character from a book. Talking to a
character outside of their book is fun! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.

This week
Strands of Thought is host to Layla and Samson from The Prophecy. It is
especially exciting to be a part of their RELEASE DAY! *throws confetti* I love
a good release day and I’m thrilled to be a part of this one.

Welcome
to Strands of Thought, you guys. Tell us a little about yourselves and what life
is like in your book.

Layla: We’re from the kingdom of Vanguard, which
means we are super strong. Our
countrymen and women have been at war for centuries with the neighboring
kingdom of Etherea.

Samson: Ethereals do all kinds of freaky mind
control. If you let ‘em, they’ll have
you rocking in a corner, sucking your thumb, and twirling a sliver of your
hair. No lie.

Layla: <eye
roll>

War and mind control,
sounds like a fun place for a couple of teenagers! Or maybe you are more like
superheroes at this point. Do you have a sidekick – ha ha - or best friend?

Layla: Samson, for sure. From the moment his family found me on their
doorstep, we’ve been inseparable. We’re
only a few days apart in age, so we’re like twins.

Samson: Are you serious? You would be my sidekick, Layla, not the other way around. I’m faster, stronger, and bigger. That makes me the hero and you the sidekick.

Layla: Think again. The hero, or heroine in this
case, has to be smart and…

Samson: Are you saying I’m not smart??

Layla: Don’t give
me that look, Samson Mantar! You didn’t
even give me a chance to finish what I was saying. I just meant you’re impulsive. The heroine can’t be impulsive. She has to save the sidekick’s hide when he
is.

Author Erin: You know the question says sidekick OR best
friend, right?

<silence>

Samson: I suppose I would accept the title “best
friend.”

Layla: I suppose I would too.

Author Erin: Thank goodness…moving on…

Oh, hey Erin!
Readers, let me introduce the author of The Prophecy, Erin Albert. Nice of you
to drop in, Erin. Okay, Layla and Samson, back to you guys. Tell us, what
exactly are you up against in your story?

Layla: My whole life I’ve been hiding from the
Ecclesiastics and the merciless Elder Werrick.

Samson: She matches the Prophecy’s requirements and
could be taken to the Ecclesiastical Compound for testing. Some really sick stuff goes on over there.

Layla: We don’t know that for sure. Those are only rumors.

Samson: She doesn’t take this situation seriously
enough.

Layla: I’m not the Fulfillment, so it doesn’t
matter.

Samson: Elder Werrick could kill you simply because
he thinks you might be the
Fulfillment.

Layla: I’m stronger than he is.

Samson: Physically, sure, but I’ve heard he has
darker powers available to him.

Layla: You believe everything you hear.

Hmmm, Layla, Samson
sounds pretty sincere. I’d take his warnings to heart. So, we’d love to get to
know you two better. What would you say is your strongest personality trait?

Layla: <groans> This list will take all day with his overinflated
ego.

Samson: Hey!

Layla: He’s loyal.
That’s his strongest trait.

Samson: Yeah, yeah, I like that. I’ll go with loyal.

Aw, that’s nice,
Layla. It was great to meet you guys. I wish you lots and lots of luck in your
story. It sounds like you have a lot of skills, but that a little luck might
not hurt. And thanks again, Erin for stopping in too! Enjoy your release day
and your release month and your release year…it’s all so much FUN!

Readers, here is a
little more on Layla and Samson’s story, The Prophecy:

Growing up
on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens
lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life
quickly falls apart when she’s abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her
The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her
greatest enemy.

Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He's
grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear...not love.
Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace
after centuries of war?

Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to
destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he’s no longer content
to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction—for her
safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms.

When Nash's secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with
Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate
of two nations hangs in the balance.

Erin Albert is an
author and fitness trainer. Since she
picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated
with the written word. She went on to
work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her
family and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police." In her free time, Erin enjoys acting,
running, kickboxing, and, of course, reading and writing.

November 13, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is children’s author, Crystal Collier.
Welcome to Strands of Thought, Crystal! Can you tell us a little about you,
please?

I am the author of MOONLESS,
and a former composer/writer for Black Diamond Productions. I can be found
practicing my brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly
typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. Having lived from coast to
coast, I now call Florida home with my creative husband, three littles, and
“friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in my closet). Secretly, I dream of world
domination and a bottomless supply of cheese.

Congratulations on the release of your book, Moonless!
Tell us more about it.

On the moonless night following her sixteenth birthday, Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron,
red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures.
After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her
old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be
sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one
of the Soulless.

MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.

I recommend my book to readers who like:

Twilight

Pride and Prejudice

The Mortal Instruments or The Infernal Devices series

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help
us know you a little better.

Top 3
leisure activities.

1.Reading
a book (especially to my littles). The library probably has a permanent bench
devoted to us by now.

2.Writing,
especially when it’s dark out. There’s something so exciting about writing in
the dark.

3.Playing
piano—but usually just something I’m making up as I go. Ah, it’s so liberating
to compose music!

Top 3
professions you wanted to be when you grew up.

1. I always wanted to be a singer
and a stage actress. Then I realized how strange theater people can become.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore them and was one for a long time, but now I’m
content with periodic vocal performances.

2. An author or Ad Specialist.
These days you have to be both, so lucky me!

3. A teacher. Here’s another dream
fulfilled. We home school AND I serve in our church as the president of a
children’s organization with over fifteen teachers and about eighty children
(ages 1 to 12). I’m also overseeing our scouting program and girls activities
(ages 8-12), but my favorite part is teaching or assisting in individual
classes.

November 6, 2013

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new
authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the
children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is children’s author, Suzanne de Montigny.
Welcome to Strands of Thought, Suzanne! Can you tell us a little about you,
please?

I was raised in the beautiful Fraser Valley near Vancouver,
Canada, surrounded by jagged mountains. I was piano girl and initially began a
career in music, writing scores for television and countless industrial and
corporate videos. Eventually, I drifted into education where I learned I could
weave a good story that kept the kids asking for more. When I married at 39,
and began a family, I decided to stay home. During this time, my father died
and I was hit with a tremendous need to write. In the basement, I found an old
unicorn story I had written in grade six, thus re-igniting my love for
unicorns. The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Legacy is the first of a three-part
series for tween-aged kids. I was very pleased when it won a gold in the 2013
Global E-Book Awards for Best Fiction/Alternate History.

Wow, sixth grade! That is a story a long time in the
making. Congratulations on the award. Tell us about your most recent book, Suzanne.

A loud, hissing sound filled the air. The unicorns
looked up, their eyes filled with horror.

Azaria, a unicorn colt, is
intrigued when the young, clairvoyant dinosaur, Darius, foresees a terrifying change
to their world. When a giant fireball smashes into the earth, the unicorns
struggle to survive the hurricanes and starvation that follow. But nothing
compares to the danger when the creatures-that-walk-on-two-legs settle in the
valley, and their leader discovers the healing power in the unicorns’ horns.
Greedy and ruthless, Ishmael will stop at nothing in his pursuit of wealth –
even the complete extinction of the herd. Azaria must find a way to outsmart
Ishmael before it’s too late.

I am also working on the second of the Shadow of the Unicorn series at present.
No spoilers other than to let you know they find Darius-the-seer again.

Then, there’s my teen novel, A Town Bewitched nearly ready to go. Kira, a child prodigy in
classical violin struggles to fit into the small town of Hope, Canada. When her
father dies, a mysterious fiddler with no past appears at his funeral. Within
days, the fiddler takes the people by storm with her mesmerizing Celtic music.
When someone vandalizes the town, leaving dead and gutted birds as a calling
card, only Kira knows who the perpetrator is.

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help
us know you a little better.

·top 3 recommended books for tweens and teens?

Tex the Witch Boy, by Stuart R. West is one of my
favourites because the story is based on real bullying situations. Not to
mention you simply can’t put it down because it’s so good. I think this is a
must for every teen to read.

If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, by Barbara Ehrentreu
is a must-read for teen girls because it deals with the pressures the so-called
popular girls go through and how it’s not all peaches and cream. Mostly, it
shows teens the horror of bulimia.

In A Pickle, by Beth Overmyer is a wonderful story of a
boy who keeps traveling back to the same time where he meets a homeless man.
The tale really opens wide the eyes of anyone who hasn’t thought of how
homeless people got to where they are – on the street. My son loved this book,
and so did I.

·3 professions you thought you’d like to do as a child.

In 1964, I thought I’d like to be a farmer’s wife. After
all, I loved animals and thought it’d be fun to have cows and pigs and horses.

In 1968, I dreamed of being the first astronaut to land on
the moon. My dream was dashed the following year when Neil Armstrong and Buz
Aldrin took the first giant steps for humankind.

In my teens, I wanted to be a composer and professional
pianist. I did it for several years, but it didn’t pay the bills very well, so
I drifted into teaching music in the public school system where I was quite
happy for 20 years.

·3 people you admire the most in the world?

Well now, don’t laugh. Queen Elizabeth II simply because
she can stand up and do the right thing through a lot of controversy. The dame
has class!

Mother Teresa. I know she’s passed away, but if you’ve
ever seen the poverty in India (they have 31,000,000 orphans) and the work she
did…it fills my eyes with tears.

My own dad, Dr. Pol de Montigny. He died seven years ago,
but when he was alive, he inspired so many people to make something of
themselves. He really cared about people and that’s how I want to be.

Thank you for
charming us on this week’s Three Times A Charm! Best of luck to you and your
writing, Suzanne.

GUESTS WELCOME! I
am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author,
illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something
related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel
free to contact me about a future appearance

Here's the Scoop on

Hi! I'm Kai (pronounced like the letter K.) I write Epic award winning fiction for kids and teens. I can say that because I won an award from EPIC for The Weaver! I'm the mother of four, which makes me a bit of an expert in the writing for kids arena. I love singing, gardening, walking, pizza and Mozart. Please check out my books and short stories on my website and contact me with any questions you have. Thanks for reading.